CARY - The Cary football team has been able to win games this year with a sound run game, stalwart defense and solid special teams. But on Friday, when the Imps needed a win to lock up third place in the Tri-Nine Conference, another dimension came to the spotlight.

Cary quarterback Connor Chase completed 11 of his 17 throws and led the Imps to a 36-12 victory against Athens Drive.

The senior starter has earned coach Ben Kolstad's trust, and it comes at a time when Cary might be playing a home playoff game next week.

"That's the most comfortable I've felt all year (throwing the ball)," Kolstad said. "Our quarterback's doing a heck of a job. He had a great game and he's really coming together."

Chase put the Imps on the board twice in the first quarter with a 1-yard quarterback sneak for touchdown and a 18-yard scoring pass to tight end Jackson Gomez.

"He's a special kid. He knows the ins and outs of this," Kolstad said. "I trust his decision-making and I trust the protection."

Cary entered halftime with a 23-6 lead, also scoring on an Obed Mulenda safety and Marquise Sherrod-Cooper 6-yard touchdown scamper.

In the second half, Chase found fellow senior Chuboy Umeadi on a 59-yard touchdown strike to put the Imps on the board with their first possession of the third quarter.

DeAndre Henry rounded out Cary's scoring with an 11-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

The Imps ran for 199 yards on the night, led by Sherrod-Cooper's 148 on 31 carries.

Yet despite their success on the ground, the passing offense -- which utilized play-action for most of the night -- outgained the rushers with 230 yards through the air.

"Our offense as a whole is better because we're able to throw the ball when we need to," Kolstad said.

Had the Imps (8-2, 6-2) lost to Athens (5-6, 4-4), Cary would have fallen from third in the conference to fifth.

The win keeps Cary in contention for a potential home playoff game. The postseason match-ups will be announced Saturday.

"We saw this as the first round of the playoffs," Kolstad said. "We wanted a shot to be at home (next week)."

Athens Drive scored on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Jason West to A.J. Stewart in the first quarter and a 15-yard touchdown pass from Brad Bowling to Chris Robinson in the fourth.